Indiana High School Girls Volleyball Weekly (September 23-28)

IndyStar will determine the top volleyball players in Indiana in our Player of the Week poll.

Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting lasts until Friday at noon.

Congratulations to Natalie Sevier of New Palestine after being voted Player of the Week for September 16-21! The junior hitter had a season-high 22 kills while hitting .300 in a 3-1 win over Perry Meridian. She finished the three-game week with 41 finishes, two aces, three blocks and 44 digs (three double-doubles).

“She won a home run”: A volleyball standout driven out by a house fire has found a home at the HSE.

“We felt all the love”: Mt. Vernon shows support for a former volleyball coach battling cancer.

Here are this week’s top performers.

Madi Allen, North Decatur

An outstanding basketball player, the 5-10 Allen excels on the high school volleyball court. She had 37 kills in her first three games this week, highlighted by a 14-win (.310 hitting percentage) against Morristown. Allen also had 24 aces, 26 digs, two assists and, for good measure, one solo block.

Logan Bell and Roncalli

IHSAA volleyball: Logan Bell, Roncalli take home Hamilton Southeastern

Interview with Mackenzie Kruer, Lydia Stahley and Logan Bell after Roncalli took down Hamilton Southeastern in a battle of nationally ranked teams.

The senior led the nationally ranked Royals to victory at Hamilton Southeastern last Tuesday with 15 kills, three aces (the team had nine total), 14 digs and three assists. She also collected 13 kills and hit .500 over Perry Meridian. Roncalli is 21-0 after conference play against Heritage Christian leading up to the Marion County tournament (opening Wednesday against Brebeuf Jesuit). Roncalli’s next big test will be Oct. 8 against Brownsburg.

Karlin Burton, Franklin Community

Last week, Burton recorded more than 30 assists in each of three games, recording 38 against Mooresville, 32 against Lutheran and 37 against Shelbyville – all wins for Franklin. She also added three aces, nine hits and several blocks for the Grizzly Cubs, who are 20-1 this week in games against Plainfield, Center Grove, Noblesville and Hamilton Southeastern.

Kennedy Cherry, Hamilton Heights

The senior libero recorded seven aces, 56 digs and five assists, helping the Huskies to wins over Lapel, Pendleton Heights, Plainfield and Harrison. Heights is 19-3 and the trip to Scecina is scheduled for Monday.

Sophia Gisslen, F. W. Carroll

The junior setter was outstanding in three matches last week, racking up 102 assists, 18 digs, six blocks and five aces. Her week was highlighted by 43 assists (four assists shy of a season high) against Westfield. The Chargers are 20-3 and ranked ninth in the state by MaxPreps.

Caroline Hanchar, Cathedral

The sophomore led the Irish to a five-set victory over Brebeuf, totaling 20 kills, two aces, two blocks and 10 digs. Statistics were not available, but Cathedral split its next two games, losing to Yorktown in four and defeating FW Blackhawk Christian in two.

Reese Price of Crawfordsville

Price had 48 kills in five games, highlighted by 14 kills (.379 hitting percentage) against Southmont. She also earned three solo blocks (four total) and 24 digs.

Makenna Rankins, Greenfield-Central

This student set the school record for career assists with 2,349 and counting. Rankins had 26 assists in the win over Lawrence Central and 14 in the loss to Lawrence Central.

Carlee Rogers, Jasper

The senior recorded 17 kills, 11 digs, 10 assists and three blocks in a five-set victory over Evansville Mater Dei. Rogers also had 13 kills (.346 hitting percentage) and 13 assists in a loss to Floyd Central and 12 kills in a victory over Southridge. The standout added had wins over Bloomington North, North Decatur and North Central on Saturday.

Elle Schara, Crown Point

Schara went to work at La Porte and recorded 24 kills on a .538 hitting percentage, plus four aces and 10 digs. She also helped the team to wins over Lake Central, Zionsville and Mishawaka Marian. Crown Point lost to Hamilton Southeastern in the final and is 19-6 on the season.

Ella Strecker, Zionsville

Strecker recorded 19 kills and hit .667 in a five-set loss to section rival Hamilton Southeastern. The junior from Louisville entered the weekend hitting .421 with 218 kills and 59 total blocks (22 solo) this season.

Audrey Utterback, Plainfield

The freshman had 50 kills and hit .400 in two of her three weekday games last week, highlighted by 16 kills while hitting .419 against Monrovia. Utterback served eight aces, four blocks and 51 digs (three straight double-doubles). The Quakers are above .500 and have a brutal break coming up: Danville, Franklin, Carmel, Westfield and Western Boone, followed by the Carmel Invite, which will end the regular season on October 12.

Jenna VanBruaene, Mishawaka Marian

On Saturday, the sophomore libero reached 1,000 career points at the Crown Point Invite. She scored 80 digs and three aces in six matches. The Knights are 15-10 with upcoming games against Fairfield and New Prairie.

Ava Whitmore, Mount Vernon

The senior point guard led the Marauders to three big wins this week, dishing out 40 assists in a 3-2 win over Westfield, 36 in a win over Triton Central and 37 in a four-set victory over Lawrence North. She also totaled 29 digs, two blocks, three aces and five kills (four vs. Westfield). Mount Vernon will be 15-6 in October with notable wins over Cathedral, Brebeuf Jesuit, West Lafayette Harrison and Westfield.

Shanese Williams in Yorktown

The senior hitter scored 51 kills as the Tigers posted four consecutive victories. Williams’ ledger included 17 sacks in the Greenfield-Central series (hitting .810) and 14 in a four-set victory over Cathedral. She also had 14 blocks for Yorktown, which is 21-2 after Tuesday’s conference match at New Palestine.

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.